Exhibition View
"The mountain has a small opening, as if there were light."
Leo Gallery once again in collaboration with One Atelier (Beijing), presents the group exhibition A Small Opening. This classical phrase, taken from Tao Yuanming's The Peach Blossom Spring, is minimalist yet deeply evocative. The exhibition adopts this literary imagery as a lens through which to enter the context of contemporary abstract art—echoing the gradually widening spatial flow of the gallery, evoking the initial state of seeing and perceiving, and pointing toward the details and brushstrokes hidden within the exhibition.
The participating artists each uphold their own creative approaches: some draw from flora and natural forms, some work with abstract gestures, others depict facets of human expression, presenting a juxtaposition of diverse visual languages. Liu Ying emerges through thick, layered brushstrokes; Chen Kai captures the light of a sunset coastline with dense, dot-like strokes. Armin Boehm creates strong visual tension through fragmented collage and saturated color fields; Max Huckle seeks balance within change through minimalist layers of color. Gu Xiaoping employs the lines of an ink marker to outline a quiet perception; Ma Kelu reduces painting to the body's intuitive response and energy release in his "Ada" series. Lin Jing solidifies the texture of the image through fluid, arcing brushstrokes; Mou Huan incorporates natural imagery into his abstract creations; Zhang Ning captures the vitality of form within sculptural bodies.
The phrase "the mountain has a small opening" refers both to the physical entrance into the space and the visual entry point into the work. Through this small opening, the viewer moves inward, wandering through an open and relaxed visual field, allowing light to spread and letting sensation and imagination unfold naturally.
"After walking further for a few dozen steps, the space suddenly opened wide."
